Letter to the editor: Unjustifiable benefits

According to CDT coverage (Tuesday), the State College Area School District board has approved a new contract with the teachers’ union (State College Area Education Association) that includes an average annual salary increase of 3.3 percent for 2015-2020.

In public comments about the contract, neither board President Amber Concepcion nor union President Eugene Ruocchio explains why those guaranteed salary increases are almost twice the average annual rate of inflation for the past five years (1.7 percent, 1.5 percent, 1.7 percent, 3.6 percent and 0 percent).

The annual inflation rate as determined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics is the metric that determines the annual increase (if any) in salaries and annuities of federal employees and retirees. If anybody is looking for yet another infuriating example of liberal politicians using tax revenues to bestow unjustifiable financial benefits on members of public employee unions, they need look no further than the new SCASD/SCAEA contract.

Phil Edmunds

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